Fellow Wanderer: New Zealand South Island Readings

Fellow Wanderer and Dear Reader,

I bring you a hybrid entry. 

I'm not bluffing. 

I would like to share some recommendations for navigating Te Waipounamu, otherwise known as the incredible South Island of New Zealand 🇳🇿

For those of you who missed the last entry, full disclosure, the North island is also wonderful, but I explored the South much more extensively.

The North also has much to offer 🫶

I struggled with knowing whether or not this should be a "Dear Reader" entry, as it was such a personal experience and special time in my life, those few weeks of utter freedom, exploring in my little hire car, some of the most exquisite natural places I have ever laid eyes on 🌟

However, when I was, err planning, meaning the day before I took my flight from Auckland to Nelson, I found it difficult to know where I should go. 

I don't have Instagram, so all these people trailing along the "Insta route" had intent behind their long drives. My strategy was very different. So I have decided to share my findings. I include the following:

Top 3 Tips for New Zealand Travel

Top 3 Experiences in the South Island

Top 3 Places for your Itinerary 

⭐ Top Tip #1 - Hire a car

I know that this is going to depend a lot on people's personal finances. And you know what, I'm just going to briefly adopt an awful capitalist stance for a hot second and advise to "not go to NZ unless you can afford to rent a car/van solo/with your friends". 

I know. It sounds bad. But those I met using the infrequent buses, had to completely rearrange their days around the laborious journeys, which took far too long, and never allowed you to get to the hidden gems, those parts which I treasured 🎁 

There is of course the popular option of hitch hiking. I have to say, I am blessed with damn good intuition, but some people are not. So generally speaking, don't risk it baby. 

Of course I, the serial hypocrite, did pick up a hitch hiker (much to my mum's dismay, when I let that slip recently). He was completely fine and we had a nice journey, although he was far too tall for Tay Tay. 

NZ is about the only place in the world I'd be comfortable to do that though. Proceed with caution. 

Lost in a beautiful spot. Also misusing the timer.

⭐ #2 - Don't follow the crowd

This is not to say, avoid the popular places by any means, they are of course, popular for a reason. 

Rather this means, do your own research, Google your own hobbies and seek out what's beautiful for you. 

I wanted to go to the tippy top of the island's west coast. I knew this wasn't a famous spot, but I wanted to go there because to me, it looked so cool. 

It turned out to be just as great as I expected, and I even met my first seal of the south island. Such a cutie 🦭 

Different seal. Arguably cuter. 

⭐ #3 - Go get lost 

Forgive the appalling grammar. But yes. Embrace the fact that at a certain point, Google maps/Ways will not work. 

WHAT. Follow a paper map? 

^^ never 

Rest easy knowing that a large majority of the roads are only leading to one place. Signs are everywhere to let you know when to grab some more petrol (be prepared to sell a kidney to afford it), and if you do get lost, two things will happen. One, you will inevitably stumble upon something beautiful. Two, you will inevitably stumble into a quasi friendship with the local person to whom you ask directions.

Casually sitting in a lavender field in the middle of nowhere 🪻

Now, for the experiences. I knooooow this is subjective. So stop reading... Or check out my recommendations... 

#1 - Skydiving in Queenstown.

You're taking in the mountainous backdrop as it's reflected in the lake. 

You're watching people walk past in the most expensive athleisure you've ever seen. 

Maybe it's the nice Irish guy you met in a hostel and climbed a big mountain with, whose awkward charm reminds you of how far away you are from home, how far you've come. And they're saying that Queenstown is the home of adventure sports...

Maybe it's the family friend whom you haven't seen in a decade, whose affable and genuine loveliness makes you think that if they can be a skydiving instructor, then you can do it just once...

Sometimes, you end up in a room full of people waiting for their turn to get on the bus to the plane.  And you begin talking instantly to a girl with whom you will later end up travelling with. With whom you will also meet again in an entirely different continent, talking about people and places you haven't even been to yet ✨

Sometimes, Travellers and Wanderers, you just have to jump out of a plane at 12,000 feet. 

Fear of heights? You must be mistaken. 

#2 Kayak on Lake Tekapo

This was my absolute highlight. 

I saw pictures of this and rearranged my trip so that I could come here 💙

I had been given mixed reviews. Warned that poor weather would hinder the beauty. But I risked it. 

I spent $60 on a hostel. Yes baby, 60 dolares. That's supply and demand for you. Damn those capitalist references again, eww. 

Whilst I had stayed up all night working, napped for a mere 2 hours and energised myself this time not with my customary sugar free Monster, but a flat white from the local cafe (passable at best). However, the most perfect, serene morning greeted me. 

The sun gently sparkled on the pristine blue waters. I hired a kayak and embarked on a solo tour across the water ☀️ 

The liquid opal around me bobbed emphatically as I charged ahead to the furtherest point I could reach before I could stop and be surrounded entirely by water, mountains and a feeling of unequivocal bliss. 

Whatever you do, find a place that gives you that feeling of calm and use it as your happy place. 

✨

#3 - Road trip to Milford Sound. 

Yes, this could fall into the places to visit, but that's a given. 

The emphasis here is to drive. 

This is arguably in the top places in the world for natural beauty. Why have time restraints?

Hire that car. 

Offer a ride to people from your accommodation in Queenstown. Book a night in Te Anau (or also on the return journey) and make the most of this incredible place! It's a once in a life time experience. 

The 2 hour road trip from Te Anau took me much longer, because I stopped countless times to just stand and basque in the absolutely breathtaking scenery, the powerful energy and the impact that it had on me, to see such a beautiful place with my own eyes and feel the cool, pure air that surrounds it. 

Milford Fiord (technically)

And this takes me onto places. 

⭐#1 - Tekapo 

Not only the lake, but the mountain here is beautiful and the drive to get here, alone is worth it. 

There's no shops really, not many food options nor accommodation choices, but spending one day will be one of the best decisions you make!

⭐ #2 Queenstown + Milford Sound

Skydiving. Bungee jumping. Hiking. Fine dining. Kayaking. Feeling out of place among rich, attractive people. These are all the things which Queenstown has to offer. 

Any hike will be beautiful, but you should not miss the Queenstown Hill trail. 

You should definitely reward all hikes with a meal from Mirch Masala. 

And be brave. Try the skydiving. You'd be amazed at what being strapped to an attractive person at 12k ft will do to your sense of trust in the universe.

 

⭐ #3 Abel Tasman National Park

One day, a girl stayed up until 2am in Auckland. Later that morning, she left at 5am to go to the airport for her stupidly early flight to Nelson. 

Once she picked up her hire car at 10am, she drove past Split Apple Rock and a beautiful beach, to Abel Tasman National Park 🌸

Then she proceeded to walk 40,000 steps as she hiked for 9 hours, winding around the mountain, stopping by deserted beaches filled with white sand, and allowing the hole in the ozone layer to clash ferociously with her factor 50. And then she worked for 8 hours. 

It was a place that she couldn't say no to. Filled with smiles from locals, tourists and strangers from all walks of life, enjoying the enchanting ferns of the forest around them. 

And there we have it. 

What I will say to you, like any place you visit in the world, it is only as amazing as you allow it to be. 

For some, New Zealand is possibly overpriced and monotonous. But for me, it was a place where I learned to listen to myself (because I sometimes drove for hours with no one to talk to and no signal to play music), so I forced myself to look inside 🧘‍♀️

As I walked through the captivating scenes, all the time feeling an unparalleled sense of safety, I allowed the natural wonders to seep into my skin, in the glances toward every magical mountain, each brilliant body of water and all the soft petals of the sun's rays that danced around me 🌴

Reach out, should you find yourself planning a trip and you need some more details 😘

Happy Wandering, Readers. 

The World Out There 🥝

Dear Reader, 

Chania

💙

How I have missed you. 

The streets of Crete, with its narrow streets and hazy charm. 

I have been recollecting... We are almost 6 months into this crazy year and it feels so fast... But also like a whole lifetime... ✨

A friend of mine is going snowboarding in New Zealand soon. 

It made me remembers my adventures of this exquisite land, which feels so far away 🌿 

A time where I tapped into a whole other person that I didn't know existed, uncovering weird and wonderful shadows that would shape the weeks to follow 🖤 

A time where I drove around in a little Suzuki Swift which I named Tay Tay... 🚗 

A time where I supplemented my nocturnal work life with road trips into the mountains, kayaking on unpopulated, pristine-clear waters, befriending expats, tourists and crazy horse ladies, surviving on countless sugar free monster drinks and 2 hours sleep...

🪻Climbing a mountain with a randomer from my hostel, impressing a bunch of Germans with the strange conversational skills I have maintained since high school, making friends with people who are also chucking themselves out of planes at 12,000ft, to then go on a road trip to one of the most breath taking places on earth, picking up incredibly tall hitch hikers... 

Absolute babe.

The list goes on... 

So the next post will be dedicated to recommendations in New Zealand, South island. 

Though the north was lovely, I didn't spend as much time there and I had a friend show me around. NZ feels like one of those places where exploring solo really pays off, as it is so safe and so wondrous 🌟

From the moment I set foot in the quirky little airport of Nelson (and in Auckland as well to an extent), I knew that the next few weeks would be a wonderful adventure. And they really were. 

Fly you fools

And you, Dear Reader... Are you allowing yourself a sense of adventure these days? When was the last time you just went with the flow... Explored your surroundings... And yourself? 🤔

Stay tuned 😘

P.S. to all you nerds, yes, the title alludes to a Gandalf quote. And kiwis. 

Fellow Wanderer: Core and Connections

 Hello Fellow Wanderer, 

We have not spoken for some time. For those of you who are new, Fellow Wanderer is an extension of, err "wisdom" I have collected during my escapades, which I feel could be interesting or useful for those who wish to travel more, or who are considering a nomadic life ⭐

Core and Connections will look at two types of relationships: those who are your "core", the people who you know, trust and love, those who are generally not with you on your travels. Then we have "connections", which encompasses the weird and wonder connections you encounter on your journeys- we will cover this more in a later article. 

Here's some background:

I grew up in the countryside as an only child (people who know me only a little, are now suddenly realising why I'm so extra). And no before you get the wrong idea, I didn't live in a mansion, eating from silver spoons and having epic house parties, it was not that sort of country living. 

No.

I was playing with imaginary friends and creating a whole world of stories, as it's very lonely life. 

Okay, you can put your violins away, my childhood was fine. In fact, what this quasi-solitude brought me is:

1. The ability to be alone without ever feeling scared or stressed

2. An innate and invaluable extroversion, despite being shy 

3. The drive to nurture every and all meaningful friendships in my life

I have a core group of friends who are absolutely necessary to my mental wellbeing, my ability to travel without having constant existential crises, and to be able to return to the UK or Ireland without feeling so dark a pit in my stomach. 

Now I'm lucky to have a lot of gems in my life- good people who "put up" with me and my endless bounds of energy, sporadic bursts of childlike humour and occasional slips from the "Yogini Path" when I lose my s**t at something that really does not require such a reaction. 

As I left home as soon as I had finished school, and never looked back, I knew I needed to put more effort into those relationships than the other party, because I am the one who left. I decided to leave this relationship and galavant around the world, so if I wanted someone to be there for a hug upon my return, I needed to make a darn good effort.

So here are my lessons:

1. Ensure you have 3-5 people back home who generally know where you are at all times ⭐

Okay people reading this who are part of my core, will be howling with laughter, as I typically tell only one person at most where I am, let alone where I plan to be... This is excluding the obvious safety aspect, where someone should always know where you are in case of the worst. 

Rather, this is for when you are feeling low or you crave some TLC, either because you're sick or maybe you haven't met anyone in a few days and you just miss basic human connection... 

Whatever it is, have some people who know where you are. Maybe they will pray for you, if you're into that, or they will let you know a lucky number to think about, or maybe even astral project to come and see you!? I dunno how cool your core is?!?!

This allows you to feel a connection with that person, even at a distance. 

2. Maintain regular contact with said core members ⭐

I have a very special person in my life. We have known each other for a very long time and we have been there for each other for many of life's challenges. 

During COVID, we ended up falling into a routine involving monthly wine and cheese nights over Skype, which would last 4-5 hours... To the point where people in my work even knew when we would be next speaking. 

This has extended (albeit slightly less often) during my travels. We always make time to speak. I don't need to make extra effort because I'm away, as the connection is so strong that we always remember to chat, and to share our stories. Even as I stop drinking and they stops eating cheese. 

Another core member, I speak to every day. The conversation hasn't stopped in 10 years, and is likely to never stop. They have a completely different approach to travel, but happily receive all my photos and stories, in turn for me listening to all their crazy philosophical rants on society. 

A third core member for me is someone with whom I speak at least weekly. Literally a "Happy Friday", which started in the respective states of misery in our former offices, where we both felt so awful that Friday and the promise of two days off, was the only respite to our constant mental suffering and feeling of oppression at the hands of senior management. 

We message every single Friday, without fail. This simple act allows us to maintain a close friendship whilst neither of us have lived on the same land mass for a decade, and where we don't see each other sometimes more than annually. 

There are some other members of my core, maybe they will also have a little synopsis going forward. 

The point is, this regular contact seems small and perhaps even unnecessary when you read it. But travel is not always this social train ride of constant friendships and bonds. 

The connections made abroad whilst travelling are very different. 

Having some people to whom you can always turn is so important for allowing you a sense of normality, a sense of belonging and purpose. 

Sometimes we are so stuck in our head, that we don't realise, someone on the other side of the world, living a totally different life, is feeling the exact same inadequacies, fears and pain as us. 

Your core has to be people who help you to grow. Whether that's offering advice, perking up your confidence, or allowing you to open your heart and share things which you have always been afraid to speak. 

People can truly surprise you in how they warmly receive your vulnerability. Allowing yourself this will help you so much when you travel. 

3. It starts with you⭐

You have to trust yourself, your gut and your "self love" (yes I know this is becoming all hippy dippy, but hear me out, we're nearly done here).

Once you have that, you extend this to those closest (metaphorically), your core...

And having these aspects, well they will allow you to embark on the best adventures, spark new friendships and grow your social life, whilst always knowing you have a strong foundation, and an even stronger core. 

And there we have it, Fellow Wanderer, my advice for maintaining a level of social competency as you tackle endless varieties of cultural differences, language barriers and conflicting ideologies, which all make up a huge part of the magical act of travelling and nomad-ing. 

Make the effort. It will pay off ✨

Specks of Dust

Dear Reader, how I have missed you... 

A place for special geese 🪿 

Forgive me for the silence, it was spent in reflection of a most intriguing period of my life ✨

Returning to Europe was indeed a challenge for my heart, which I know now in part remains in Asia... 

The warm greeting from those I love is a treasure many seek and do not receive... So I am grateful 🤗

Yes, I also have human friends.

As the dust settles, I am reminded in the most unexpected of ways that it doesn't matter where I am... This concept that I am so very different in some places... 

I need only glance at my hands to remember a time where the sun radiated from every pore and speck of dust, controlled each sound and all that surrounded me 💜

That a missed bus can lead to a beautiful new acquaintance 🧡

And the connections who call to me from past and present, guide my way to meaning within the shadows 🌚

My family, from an Uncle, dearly missed and treasured on the other side of the world, to my beautiful parents, and their unconditional love and kindness... Guiding me. 

All the way to you, Dear Reader.

It's blurry, but I love it.

Connections. 

As I walk along the warm, dusty streets of Chania, I admire the exquisite views of both the pier and the sea. I wonder to myself if my parents also looked upon such spectacular beauty when they met here, all those years ago. 

Sweet souls in shops who don't try to sell me anything, but just ask me about my travels. 

Soothing voices of the locals, carried in the breeze and filling the narrow streets, full of evil eyes, opals and wonder... 

The timid, gentle knock of the waves upon the shore line... The warm street lamps softly stroking the blues of the water. 

Indeed, my unexpected trip to Bulgaria was also a treat. With the most special connection of them all. And an incredible concert from Corey Taylor (yes folks, I like Slipknot)... The people there are so happy, and it's infectious 😇

Positive energy from these people, the protective blanket of natural wonders around me, allow me to embrace the coolness of the shade.

I am reminded that the path leads forward, no matter which way I look.

As does yours.

So come with me, Dear Reader, and let's find our gold within the dust 🌟